The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted Italian marine Massimilano Latorre, who is accused of killing two Kerala fishermen, more time to return to India for his trial. The apex court has now given Latorre, one of two accused in the case, till April 30 to return. On Tuesday, an Italian senator said Latorre would not be coming to India for his trial. He was allowed a period of leave in Italy on medical grounds, after he suffered a stroke in Delhi in 2014, but was supposed to return by January 15.
President of the Senate Defence Committee Nicola Latorre said on Tuesday that they are also looking into ways to bring the other accused marine, Salvatore Girone, back to Italy. Girone is currently being held at the Italian Embassy in New Delhi.
The decision to keep Latorre back in Italy drew flak in India. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the Italian marines committed a crime on Indian land, and should thus obey Indian laws, Times Now reported. C Unnikrishnan, a lawyer for one of the victims' wives said Italy's stand was wrong as they had signed an affidavit saying they would send Latorre back when directed by India's Supreme Court.
The two men claim they killed the Indian fishermen when they mistook their fishing boat for a pirate ship, and were trying to protect an Italian oil tanker off the coast of Kerala in 2012. In 2013, Italy sent the marines back to India for trial to avoid straining diplomatic ties, which had taken a hit because of the incident.
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